Forget the Flowers: Moms Want Family Bonding for Mother's Day

MORGAN HILL, Calif., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Mother's Day 2001 is
fast approaching, and a surprising new survey commissioned by
Cidco, Inc. (Nadsaq: CDCO), maker of the Mivo 200(TM) personal e-mail
appliance, reveals that today's Mom doesn't necessarily want jewelry or
flowers. What she wants most is to feel close to her children, and to hear,
"I love you." And yes, using e-mail to say "I love you" counts!
According to the survey, almost half of moms (48 percent) believe the best
gifts they could receive for Mother's Day are to have their adult children
keep in touch with them more often during the year, and to hear them say,
"I love you." In fact, the vast majority (82 percent) want to hear from their
children at least once a week, and for 22 percent, once a week isn't nearly
enough -- once a day is more like it.
Even among tangible gifts, moms would prefer those that keep the family
connected and strengthen family bonds, such as brunch or dinner out
(22 percent) or a Mother's Day card (8 percent). Other "luxury" items, such
as a spa treatment, flowers, perfume, jewelry, chocolates, and clothes,
received comparatively low scores (4 percent, 3 percent, 2 percent, 2 percent,
1 percent, and 1 percent, respectively).
Sadly, Mom's adult children are largely unaware of her preferences. In
fact, 38 percent of adults are planning to give Mom flowers for Mother's Day,
13 percent will shower her in jewelry, and 16 percent are going to give her
clothes. Less than two in 10 will promise to keep in touch with her more
often all year long.
"With more than 333 million e-mail accounts in the world today, it
shouldn't be difficult to give Mom exactly what she wants this year," said
Howard Leyda, vice president of worldwide marketing at Cidco, Inc. "To make
it even easier to stay in touch, surprise her with the new Mivo 200, a simple,
lightweight, portable personal e-mail system that sends and receives messages
without the hassles of a PC."
According to the survey, e-mail is indeed gaining in popularity,
especially among moms in the West, who are more likely to communicate via the
service than moms in other regions (50 percent in the West versus 35 percent
in the Northeast, 36 percent in the North Central states, and 40 percent in
the South).
"In a very short amount of time, e-mail has grown into a popular way to
keep in touch with friends and family," said Leyda. "Already, it ranks as the
third most popular method of contact for both mothers and children, surpassing
letters and postcards. And, almost one-third (28 percent) of adult children
ages 18-34 already use e-mail to keep in touch with their mothers."
Additional findings from the survey shed some light on what keeps kids
from checking in with their moms more often during the year. More than
one-third (34 percent) say they are just "too busy," 21 percent say that "high
long-distance telephone charges are too expensive," and 15 percent admit to
"procrastinating" or being "too tired/lazy" to make the effort. A surprising
38 percent can't provide any answer for not keeping in touch with Mom as often
as they should.
The survey also revealed some illuminating differences between adult sons
and daughters regarding their communication habits with Mom. Fifteen percent
of daughters keep in touch with their mothers several times a day either by
phone, in-person visits, e-mail, or letters, while only five percent of sons
do. In addition, 28 percent of daughters contact their mothers once a day,
while a mere 15 percent of sons do. Sons are also more likely to be honest
and 'fess up to procrastinating or being too tired/lazy when it comes to not
keeping in touch with Mom (19 percent of sons versus 10 percent of daughters).
Survey Methodology
The Cidco survey was conducted January 18-22, 2001 among a nationally
representative sample of 2,000 adults 18 years of age and older. A total of
447 interviews were completed with women who have adult children 18 years of
age and older who live outside their household. In addition, a total of
448 telephone interviews were conducted during the same period among a
nationally representative sample of adults 18 years of age and older who have
a mother who lives outside their household. The interviews were conducted in
Caravan, a national telephone omnibus survey. This survey was developed for
Cidco, Inc. by Leflein Associates, Inc. and fielded by Opinion Research
Corporation International of Princeton, New Jersey. The margin of error is
+/- 4.5 percentage points.
About Mivo 200
Mivo 200, the lightweight, portable personal e-mail system, is available
from retailers nationwide for $129.99, with an unlimited monthly service fee
of $12.95. To celebrate Mother's Day, a $30 mail-in rebate offer is available
at all retailers, as well as on http://www.cidco.com. The offer is valid from
April 1 to July 31, 2001.
About Cidco
Cidco, Inc. is the category leader in e-mail appliances. Founded in 1988,
Cidco, once the original Caller ID company, heralded the coming of the post-PC
era with the introduction of its first Internet appliance -- MailStation -- in
1998. With its new Mivo line, the company is extending its vision to devices
that make other Net-based information readily available to consumers who want
the simplicity and convenience of e-mail.
With both MailStation and its Mivo line, Cidco provides integrated
products, seamless service, and a satisfying user experience. The Silicon
Valley firm is headquartered in Morgan Hill, California. For more
information, visit http://www.cidco.com or call 408-779-1162. MailStation,
Mivo, and Cidco are trademarks of Cidco, Inc.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995
This news release contains forward-looking statements or predictions. The
results of the Survey, including our statements concerning the Survey and
our interpretation of the data represents our judgment as of this date and
are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or
events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking
statements. The Company's risk factors are discussed in more depth in
Cidco, Inc. filings with the SEC, copies of which may be accessed through
the SEC's World Wide Web site at http://www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Cidco, Inc.

MORGAN HILL, Calif., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Mother's Day 2001 is
fast approaching, and a surprising new survey commissioned by
Cidco, Inc. (Nadsaq: CDCO), maker of the Mivo 200(TM) personal e-mail
appliance, reveals that today's Mom doesn't necessarily want jewelry or
flowers. What she wants most is to feel close to her children, and to hear,
"I love you." And yes, using e-mail to say "I love you" counts!
According to the survey, almost half of moms (48 percent) believe the best
gifts they could receive for Mother's Day are to have their adult children
keep in touch with them more often during the year, and to hear them say,
"I love you." In fact, the vast majority (82 percent) want to hear from their
children at least once a week, and for 22 percent, once a week isn't nearly
enough -- once a day is more like it.
Even among tangible gifts, moms would prefer those that keep the family
connected and strengthen family bonds, such as brunch or dinner out
(22 percent) or a Mother's Day card (8 percent). Other "luxury" items, such
as a spa treatment, flowers, perfume, jewelry, chocolates, and clothes,
received comparatively low scores (4 percent, 3 percent, 2 percent, 2 percent,
1 percent, and 1 percent, respectively).
Sadly, Mom's adult children are largely unaware of her preferences. In
fact, 38 percent of adults are planning to give Mom flowers for Mother's Day,
13 percent will shower her in jewelry, and 16 percent are going to give her
clothes. Less than two in 10 will promise to keep in touch with her more
often all year long.
"With more than 333 million e-mail accounts in the world today, it
shouldn't be difficult to give Mom exactly what she wants this year," said
Howard Leyda, vice president of worldwide marketing at Cidco, Inc. "To make
it even easier to stay in touch, surprise her with the new Mivo 200, a simple,
lightweight, portable personal e-mail system that sends and receives messages
without the hassles of a PC."
According to the survey, e-mail is indeed gaining in popularity,
especially among moms in the West, who are more likely to communicate via the
service than moms in other regions (50 percent in the West versus 35 percent
in the Northeast, 36 percent in the North Central states, and 40 percent in
the South).
"In a very short amount of time, e-mail has grown into a popular way to
keep in touch with friends and family," said Leyda. "Already, it ranks as the
third most popular method of contact for both mothers and children, surpassing
letters and postcards. And, almost one-third (28 percent) of adult children
ages 18-34 already use e-mail to keep in touch with their mothers."
Additional findings from the survey shed some light on what keeps kids
from checking in with their moms more often during the year. More than
one-third (34 percent) say they are just "too busy," 21 percent say that "high
long-distance telephone charges are too expensive," and 15 percent admit to
"procrastinating" or being "too tired/lazy" to make the effort. A surprising
38 percent can't provide any answer for not keeping in touch with Mom as often
as they should.
The survey also revealed some illuminating differences between adult sons
and daughters regarding their communication habits with Mom. Fifteen percent
of daughters keep in touch with their mothers several times a day either by
phone, in-person visits, e-mail, or letters, while only five percent of sons
do. In addition, 28 percent of daughters contact their mothers once a day,
while a mere 15 percent of sons do. Sons are also more likely to be honest
and 'fess up to procrastinating or being too tired/lazy when it comes to not
keeping in touch with Mom (19 percent of sons versus 10 percent of daughters).
Survey Methodology
The Cidco survey was conducted January 18-22, 2001 among a nationally
representative sample of 2,000 adults 18 years of age and older. A total of
447 interviews were completed with women who have adult children 18 years of
age and older who live outside their household. In addition, a total of
448 telephone interviews were conducted during the same period among a
nationally representative sample of adults 18 years of age and older who have
a mother who lives outside their household. The interviews were conducted in
Caravan, a national telephone omnibus survey. This survey was developed for
Cidco, Inc. by Leflein Associates, Inc. and fielded by Opinion Research
Corporation International of Princeton, New Jersey. The margin of error is
+/- 4.5 percentage points.
About Mivo 200
Mivo 200, the lightweight, portable personal e-mail system, is available
from retailers nationwide for $129.99, with an unlimited monthly service fee
of $12.95. To celebrate Mother's Day, a $30 mail-in rebate offer is available
at all retailers, as well as on http://www.cidco.com. The offer is valid from
April 1 to July 31, 2001.
About Cidco
Cidco, Inc. is the category leader in e-mail appliances. Founded in 1988,
Cidco, once the original Caller ID company, heralded the coming of the post-PC
era with the introduction of its first Internet appliance -- MailStation -- in
1998. With its new Mivo line, the company is extending its vision to devices
that make other Net-based information readily available to consumers who want
the simplicity and convenience of e-mail.
With both MailStation and its Mivo line, Cidco provides integrated
products, seamless service, and a satisfying user experience. The Silicon
Valley firm is headquartered in Morgan Hill, California. For more
information, visit http://www.cidco.com or call 408-779-1162. MailStation,
Mivo, and Cidco are trademarks of Cidco, Inc.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995
This news release contains forward-looking statements or predictions. The
results of the Survey, including our statements concerning the Survey and
our interpretation of the data represents our judgment as of this date and
are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or
events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking
statements. The Company's risk factors are discussed in more depth in
Cidco, Inc. filings with the SEC, copies of which may be accessed through
the SEC's World Wide Web site at http://www.sec.gov.
SOURCE Cidco, Inc.